Sunday, January 11, 2009

Book Blogs - the first four of the year

I'm off to a great start - four completed books with another on the go. I need to read 7-8 a month to hit my goal for the year...wow that sounds like a lot.

Anyway, here are the blogs for the first four:

HITMAN - David Foster with Pablo F Fenjves

Before Christmas I watched the PBS special HITMAN, which was a celebration of David Foster's career. It was really great, and after it was done, I ordered the dvd pack from PBS. It came with the dvd, cd and also David's new biography, Hitman, which I wanted anyway as I have been a fan of his for a very long time.

This book can be uncomfortable at times simply because while it is not a tell all about celebs, David IS rather candid about himself and his faults. And boy has he had a life! It was conversationally written and I ate it up.

There are lots of gems of wisdom for those of us in the creating business; in some ways it reminded me of Stephen King's ON WRITING, only by someone in a different field. A couple of times I laughed out loud and other times my mouth dropped open.

During a commencement address: "Don't be a musical snob...Probably every keyboard player here today plays better than I do. And although that's impressive, it won't take you to the top. But attitude will. And if you look at every single thing that comes your way as an opportunity, that will take you to the top too."

Quoting Abraham Lincoln: "Things may come to those who wait...but only the things left behind by those who hustle."

"The things you say no to in life are just as important, if not more important, than the things you say yes to."

"Keep the blinders on - the road to success is straight, not full of curves."

MY FAVORITE HUSBAND - Caron Todd

A very unique setting and plot revolving around Canada's far north and the diamond industry. And one of the best first lines I've ever read..."As soon as she saw him, she wanted to feel him inside her."

FRONTIER COURTSHIP - Valerie HansenA cute story with a spunky heroine and a great hero about wagon trains crossing the west. Two things that niggled - the sister Charity because I really wanted to find a redeeming quality (strength) and came up short, and Irene, who was fine as a character but IMO someone should have said something to her long before they did.

But it all worked out right in the end.

And my personal favourite of the bunch, and I'm giving a link to the review at eharlequin as it spawned some interesting discussion.

LITTLE WOMEN - Louisa May Alcott

I must be the only woman around that didn't read this as a girl, but I didn't. I got it for my girls and we have read it together before bed. I will be so sad when they are older and no longer want to do this...they are 10 and 8 now and it is our favourite time of day.

I don't generally rate books here but I'm rating this one because there is a reason it is a classic. What a marvelous read, and you care so much about all the girls and each is so individual and special. I am a weeper and so at a certain part I was doing fine and so was my youngest, but she got up to get her sister a tissue and that was the end of the dry eyes all around. It has spawned conversations about life outside of the book and its characters and there are times when the girls will laugh at something...

What strikes me SO completely about this book is that Alcott's voice is so modern. If I didn't know the story or the author and I simply started reading I would think it was a contemporary author writing a historical story. The language flows off the tongue in such a simple, charming way. And the way she forms the words that the twins use cracked me up with their perfection.

A first class read and one I wish I'd read much sooner. I'm just so pleased I could share it with my girls. Next up for us is the Tales of Beedle the Bard!

So that's it for the first four. I should have another one or two by the end of this week.

2 comments:

I've read Frontier Courtship. I'm sure you already know but there is a second book (can't remember title offhand) in which Charity has her story. She is totally different and even likeable - which she certainly wasn't in the first story!!